Cabo San Lucas

Best Things Nearby:
The beach, Billygan's Island, Lovers' Beach, the new mall, the market--everything is nearby

Best Things About the Resort:
No need for a car. Everything is within walking distance. It is at the top of a killer hill... take good sneakers.

Resort Experience:
We went on a tour of the resort. All the rooms are nice. I heard about the "dungeon rooms"... there are 4 rooms that are below ground level. These are very private rooms with a Jacuzzi right outside each door instead of a balcony. Great for a couple wanting to be alone. We had a two-bedroom villa, #2. It was nice: two bedrooms/two bathrooms, open floor plan (circular). Serena was very helpful in my arrangements.

Okay, now a couple complaints:

There is contruction going on, so that's an eyesore, but where is there not construction? We were put on the wrong taxi going back to the airport by Alfredo, who seemed very nice while we were staying there. This ride was supposed to be free, and it ended up costing us $50. We had no choice but to pay it after the taxi driver dumped us off at the company the voucher was for. Beware of the scams. For the most part, this was a nice resort.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Good

This was our favorite place to hang on the beach and eat.

FOOD:
The Dorado (and the mahimahi and dolphin dish) was excellent. The first night we each got it cooked a different way. The last night we all got it breaded.

DRINKS:
There was an all-day happy hour with two-for-one beer/domestic drinks. This was great. They bring you your first beer, open it for you, give you limes, and then your other beer goes in a bucket full of ice. When you are ready, without knowing they are watching, someone comes around and opens your next beer and takes your empty glass.

FUN:
There are games during the day that you can play to win drinks. There was a pretty good selection of music. This bar/restaurant sits next to The Mango Deck, and The Office is right next to that.

VENDORS:
Beware... there are vendors all over the beach. Get yourself a "No, Gracias" sign if you want, but they don't work. The second you show interest in one vendor, the whole flock comes running. NEVER PAY WHAT THEY ASK!! DON'T EVEN PAY HALF. Example: For a $40 silver bracelet, I paid $15. On the last day I really had the hang of it. I got four of them for $20.

They have very good food and lots of it. There was a rooster hanging out, a pet maybe... I hope.

We also went back later so I could be hung upside down like a marlin. This was fun. For $10 you hang upside down and they poor three shots down your throat... yup, while you are upside down. Great fun! For another $12 you can get an 8 by 10 picture in a folder. This is a good chance to get your whole group in a picture.

WARNING:
When you are done eating, there are people that will blow a whistle, put a sombrero on your head, and pour two shots down your throat, all against your "no, gracias" might - and then they charge you $4 per person. It would be okay if you wanted it.

This is an absolutely beautiful spot. There is a cave near it that we were told is an "exhibitionist cave". No wonder - about every boat goes past on the way out to fish, whale-watch, etc.

TIMING:
Every 4 years, the tides go out so much that the beach under The Arch is exposed and you can walk from Lover's Beach, under The Arch, and around Land's End. 2005 IS THE YEAR!! Unfortunately, we missed it. They said that it should happen around May. It was apparent that it was in progress, as the water lines on everything were about 4 inches higher than water level. If I could go back, it would be timed so that The Arch was exposed.

I expected this to be an extra trip out on the boat. However, you pass these buggers all the time if you take a fishing boat, whale-watching boat, glass-bottom boat, etc. You could probably even kayak near them.

We started out around 6:45am. We went almost beyond the sight of land. It was a great ride, though. On the way out you see the sea lions and watch the sunrise. Just the view of the rock formations from the water was beautiful.

Being there at the end of January was a bonus for us, as we got to see a couple of whales on the way out to get the marlin. There were also plenty of dolphins to be seen.

UNEXPERIENCED?
For anyone who has never fished like this, there is nothing for you to do until you hear that magical, "zzzzzing!" and then, "WooHOOOO, FISH ON!!" After that, just follow the guy in charge of the back of the boat. He will show you what to do. It is exhilarating just to be on the boat when this happens. Imagine the feeling when you get the pole in your hands!!

We got a 130-pound stripped marlin and another stripped marlin over 190 pounds.